Quarantine Log. Day 39.
Took a nature walk in the downpour today with my nephew, Calvin. He’s been tantruming, the same way that all the children are, with their social distancing enforces, their masks on over their faces, and their small selves being confined indoors. We go for a walk rain or shine, every afternoon. He sits in his orange BOB stroller, and we listen to Cathy Heller’s, “Don’t Keep your day job” podcast, which we have been doing since I first met him at about ten months old. I have loved him since he was 11 months old and I started taking care of him.
He turns four today, April 24th, 2020, and his Mom and Baba are trying to figure out something interesting to do for his birthday, involving his friends, and a drive by experience.
I suggested stories from his friends, because right now, his favorite things, ARE stories. He wants to know what makes the world go around, why we do what we do, and how to get what he wants out of the world, in a way he’s interested in. He wants to know we love him, and he wants to know we want to connect to him, and explain the world to him. And pay attention to him.
Every other sentence is, “Look at me!” Littles are like that, living on attention, and I mean think about it- we’re all like that- until it’s socialized out of us.
So, one of my emotional management tools is, to take him and I on long walks. We walk, and walk and walk, and listen to podcasts, and talk about things we see, have walking snacks, and enjoy just being outside, in nature, going somewhere together.
Today there was a downpour when we began, but my red hoodie is made from Alpaca wool, so I was warm enough. I tucked his blanket around his knees and we went off into the familiar path we usually walk. Left turn, off Going Street, into a pile of Wisteria, a flower of abundance and prosperous good fortune for a home.
And then the level of gorgeous, rain soaked flowers opened up around us, and I spent the next hour walking, talking with the Libra, and taking these gorgeous photographs of flowers.
I wanted to share them with you.
These are tulips. Fucking astounding.
Invasive Ivy always makes me want to weave clothing out of it.
I remember another day that looked like this when I left a lover behind.
These photographs feel like pressed flowers in my journal.
There you go. You’re welcome.
Happy birthday little man. I love you. I am glad I am your buddy, and that you love me like I love you.